Journey of a Star
by barefoot wanderer
Summary: An OT fanfic . . . a boy who had it all, one decision that would change his life . . . will he succeed or fail? Follow the journey of the lone star and see where it takes you. My first fic, so please R&R!
1. The Startling News

**_THE JOURNEY OF A STAR_**

**_A POKEMON STORY_**

**_Disclaimer and Notes:_**  _Pokemon doesn't belong to me, nor does Industrial Illusions.  They belong to their respective owners, which isn't me, unfortunately.  On another note, there will be some new pokemons added to the story as it goes around.  If I do use one of your made-up pokemons, I'll be sure to give you credit in the end of the chapter that it's on. _

**_CHAPTER ONE_**

**_THE STARTLING NEWS_**

Dawn was barely breaking in as a shiny, black, important looking car drove on the dirt road that led from Viridian City towards Pallet and vice-versa.  As the car came closer, the visible trail of dust that was following after the car also became bigger.  After a few minutes, the black car stopped right in front of the large stone stairway that led up to the large building on top of a small hill.  That building was known throughout all of Pallet Town as Professor Oak's Laboratory. The Professor was a well renowned Pokemon Researcher who discovered many of the pokemons that were well known to this day and the one who developed the pokedex.

The door to the driver's seat opened and out stepped a middle-aged man, with black hair and pale skin.  The man wore dark sunglasses to shield his eyes from the bright morning sun, and a black suit.  As soon as he exited the car, he walked over to the passenger's seat and opened the shining black door to let out his mysterious passenger.  "We've reached Professor Oak's laboratory, Master Orion."  The man said in his slight English accent.

"Thank you, Max."  A calm, gentle voice said to the older man as the passenger stepped out of the car and into the dirt road.  The person that got out of the car turned out to be a young boy, with gravity defying silver-blue hair, and bright emerald eyes.  He had golden brown skin and a slender build.  The boy, Orion was dressed in a long royal blue with silver trim 'robe' like jacket that had a silver chain so that he could close it.  Underneath his jacket was a tight-fitting navy blue shirt and black pants.  On his feet was black combat boots to complete his ensemble.  What made people take another look at him was his two dark sapphire, almost black, dangling earrings that was like an upside down obelisk that got thinner as it went down.  It was nearly two inches long, and his golden armbands that were visible underneath his jacket with strange markings on them and his golden necklace that wrapped around his neck in the shape of a hexagon going two and a half inches up his neck.

Orion took his eyes off his guardian and back to the large building that was the Professor's laboratory.  "Well, there's no point in delaying the inevitable," he said to himself as he walked towards the steps with Max trailing behind him.  Orion Evans is a well-known name all through out the world.  Nearly everyone who had followed the business news and was interested in pokemon training knew his name or more importantly, his company's name.  He is the youngest CEO in the world, though it wasn't his choice.  When his parents had died due to an airplane accident, when he was near 12, he had to take over the family business or lose it all.  His parents, Lily Crawford-Evans and James Evans had come from two very well off families.  When Orion's grandparents became deceased, his parents had inherited their business along with their own and now that they were gone, it was Orion who was in charge of everything.

Industrial Illusions, producer and supplier of the Item balls, main affiliate of the Pokemon League, owns multiple restaurant chains all over world, has it's own Pokemon Gear and Sports Wear line, world's leading supplier and inventor of electronic devices, and owns various amusement / theme parks all over the world.  And Orion oversees it all.  It's no wonder that's he's the richest person in the world.  And under his own supervision, Industrial Illusions had grown tremendously and is one of the world's top companies to work for.

Orion and Max finally reached the last step that brought them to the front door of the laboratory.  Taking a calming breath, Orion took a step and rang the doorbell, wondering why he was called here in the first place.  The two of them waited, an occasional breeze passed them, ruffling Orion's long coat.  After a minute of waiting the door finally opened to reveal the famous professor with his graying hair and traditional lab coat.  "Ah, Orion!  You're here - good, good."  Professor Oak said as he stepped forward and gave the young CEO a hug.  "How are you my boy?"  He asked as he held Orion at an arm's length.

The younger boy gave him a tentative smile.  "I'm fine, Professor.  And you?"

"Always so formal, aren't you?"  Professor Oak chuckled at him.  He turned to see Max and nod at him.  "How are you Max, is my godson behaving himself?"

"He's doing fine, Professor."  Max chuckled as he shook hands with the elder man.  

"Wonderful!  Come in, come in!  There's so much we've got to talk about," Professor Oak said as he ushered the two new comers inside the laboratory.  The professor led the two of them into a large sitting area with one wall that was made as a window to look over the quaint, rural little town of Pallet.  After Max and Orion were seated in the large cream sofa, Professor Oak handed them some tea and sat down himself.  He looked over at Orion, who was carefully drinking his tea with a pensive look on his face.  Professor Oak sighed and leaned back.

"Are you alright, Professor?"  Orion asked as he looked at his Godfather with concern in his emerald depths, though his face looked as calm as when he entered the laboratory.  Max also shot the Professor with a worried look on his face.

"I'm fine," Professor Oak said waving a hand, airily.  "I'm sure you're wondering why I called you here for," he said to them.  

"It crossed my mind when I received your message," Orion said to him as he placed his cup down and looked at the professor in the eye.  

"Well, it's regarding something that your parents left in the will for you," Professor Oak told him.  

Orion stiffened in his seat and looked at him with an unreadable gaze.  "What may that be, Professor Oak?"  He asked, his voice was softer now.  Despite his parents being gone for nearly a year and a quarter, he had missed them both dearly and wasn't really over their deaths yet.

"Well, your parents were adamant for you to go on a Pokemon Journey."  Professor Oak informed him, as he watched the younger boy pale.  He knew that this was what the younger boy's reaction would be.  

"A pokemon journey?"  Orion said to him in shock, which was rare to see since the younger always seem to maintain his calmness no matter what the conditions were.  "But Professor, I can't go on a pokemon journey."

"And why ever not, my boy?"  Professor Oak, calmly asked as he leaned back and regarded the younger boy with a curious look on his face.

"Because, I have a company to run.  I can't go on a pokemon journey, Professor.  Who'll take care of everything when I'm gone?"  Orion asked him, as he ran a hand through his messy hair and looked at the Professor.  

"I understand, but I think that you really need a break from all of it.  You have to admit Orion, that all this work is making you frazzled and you never really have anytime to yourself."

"But . . ."

"Orion, it doesn't matter," Professor Oak said sternly.  "Even if you stop working now, you'll still have more than enough money to survive on, even your grandchildren will live comfortably.  Plus, it was your parents final wish."  Orion stayed silent, knowing that it was true.  His parents had been putting millions of dollars in his trust fund that he couldn't open until he was 18, plus he has his own savings that he started when he began to work in Industrial Illusions, as well as his stocks.  He could stop working and he would still have enough money to do whatever he wanted.

"Listen to me," Professor Oak said in a softer tone.  "I think that becoming a pokemon trainer will be beneficial to you."  He said.  "You can see what it's like when your out there and find out what a trainer needs while having a journey, learn the techniques that's used by different people in treating their pokemons, find out how most of Industrial Illusions inventions and products work in the real world and think of ways to improve them."

"I think that Professor Oak is right, Master Orion," Max said to him.  "It's what your parents would have wanted.  And besides, being stuck in the office all day isn't what your parents wouldn't have wanted you to become."

"Even if I do go to this pokemon journey . . . who'll run the company and everything?  Having a pokemon journey can take years and what about my studies?"

"What about your studies?"  Professor Oak said dryly.  "From what I've heard, you've graduated middle school last month.  Like I said, your parents had taken care of it, you have a bank account in which you can take out money when you go on your journey, your Mother provided your starter pokemon herself, they decided to make Max, me and Darius the company president while you're away . . ."

"My mother," Orion repeated as he whipped his head around and stared at the professor.

"Yes, she provided the pokemon for you to use," he confirmed.  "Told me to give it to you, when you go for your journey.  She seemed rather confident that you'd go for it."

"I don't know about this . . ." Orion said, unsure of himself which was probably a first since his parents died.  "Don't you think that people will recognize me when I go?  There's no telling what kind of insane people I might meet."

"I highly doubt that, sir."  Max said to him.  "You're a very private person and you're rarely seen in TV, I doubt that anyone will recognize you if you don't use your full name."

"That's true."  Professor Oak nodded and turned to see the boy, before pulling out something out of his pocket.  "This is something that your parents left me before they died.  I think you might want to read it."  He said as he leaned forward and handed Orion the letter, which the boy took, his hands shaking slightly.  Orion unfolded the letter and skimmed through it, his face unreadable.  His eyes, which were hidden by his long silver-blue bangs flickered with different emotions as he read the letter that was written by his mother's flowing, curvy, writing.  

After a few minutes of looking at the letter and sitting as still as a statue, he looked up his emerald eyes filled with determination among the sadness.  "Professor, where is this pokemon that my Mother left for me?"  He asked, with his shoulders tensed as he folded the letter back and placed it in his pocket.

"So I take it that you'll be going then?"  Professor Oak grinned at him.

"I will, for my parents and myself."  Orion said to his godfather.  "They're right, as well as you two.  I do need a break from being in stuck in the office for too long and maybe I can have some fun before I focus on Industrial Illusions full time.  I'm already done school, so I'm not missing anything of importance."

"That's the spirit, young master!"  Max said to him with a grin.  "I knew that you'd go for it, you inherited your parent's adventurous streak, after all."  Orion only gave him a sad smile as he turned his head towards his Godfather, awaiting his response.

"Your parents would have been really proud of you," Professor Oak said as he took out a small red and white pokeball from his pocket and tossed it over to Orion, who fumbled to catch it.  "That's the pokemon that your Mother had given me . . . she's pretty young and ready for battling."

"What kind is it?"  Max asked the Professor as Orion enlarged the pokeball.  At that question, he also looked at Professor Oak for the answer.

Professor Oak just grinned.  "You'll just have to find out, won't you?  Your Mother said that your 'abilities' would help you get along with the pokemons easily . . . just like she did on her journey.  Maybe you should drop by Saffron and go see Sabrina for training."

"I'll keep that in mind," Orion said as he looked at the pokeball in his hand before throwing it to the air, gently.  "Pokeball go," he said calmly as the pokeball opened halfway to the table that was in the middle of the sitting area.  The pokeball opened and released the red energy that was being held by the pokeball, and it quickly took the form of a small four-legged animal with a very wide tail . . .

"VUULL-PIX!"  The pokemon called out as it was released from its pokeball.  It looked disoriented for a second before it gazed around for any enemy pokemon, finding none, the pokemon turned it's cinnamon brown head towards Professor Oak, then Max and finally to Orion.  The said boy, was looking at the pokemon with an unreadable look but his normally bright eyes dimmed.

_Vulpix, that was the same starter that Mom had_, he thought to himself.  He turned to Professor Oak with and asked the question that's been bothering him.  "Professor, that vulpix . . . is it . . ."  He trailed off, not knowing how to finish the question.

Professor Oak nodded at him, as he averted his gaze towards the vulpix.  "Yes, that vulpix is Veena's child, your Mother bred it and she wanted to give it to you when you started your Pokemon journey."  Veena, was his Mother's Ninetales.  When she first started her journey, her starter was a Vulpix and over the years she evolved.  That was his mother's favorite pokemon and close companion.  Veena was still there when he was born, but sadly she passed away with his parents.  Orion missed her as much as he did his parents, but he knew that at least the three of them are together.

Shocked, Orion bent down and looked at the pokemon almost disbelievingly.  His face was so close to the fire pokemon that he was brought of his daze when the little fox pokemon licked his nose.  Orion heard snickering and looked up to see that it was Professor Oak and Max snickering.  Apparently they saw the fox pokemon lick his nose, bringing him out of his shocked state.  He glared at the two adults, which promptly shut them up though they still kept that grin on their faces.  "I," then Orion cleared his throat.  "Thank you, Professor."

"Indeed."  Professor Oak said as he looked at the younger boy.  "Well Orion, why don't you come with me and I can get you your pokedex and everything that you would need for your Pokemon journey?  You can leave tomorrow, if you'd like."

"Tomorrow?"  Orion asked in surprise, that he barely notice the Vulpix jump to his lap.  "But, Professor - I don't know the first thing about training!"  He told the Professor Oak, with tensed shoulder beneath his clothes.

"Calm down my boy," Professor Oak said to him.  "I'll give you the essentials that you'll need for the trip.  It's not that long of a trip . . . it could probably take a day or so.  It'll give you time to get used to Pokemon training.  Besides, it'll lead you straight to Viridian where you can go and pack your things.  I'll give you the Indigo League Guidebook, that will answer all of your question and we can talk about the things that you might expect from training."

"Oh," Orion said, relaxing a little.  

Professor Oak stood up, "follow me then, we'll make you into a pokemon trainer yet!"  Orion looked at him with a sigh, a new journey - it's something that he's never done before.  He's never even gone camping, before!  How in the world can he carry on this task?!  But he knew that he had to, if it wasn't for him then for his parents.  It was their last wish of him and he would do everything in his power to make it come true.  Still, the question remains . . . he could do fine when it came electronics, and business deals, what about 'roughing it'?  

Would he be a pokemon master or a pokemon dunce?

_Note:  Well, what do you guys think?  Remember to Read and Review!_


	2. Under the Light of the Moon

**_DISCLAIMER:  _**_Pokemon doesn't belong to me, wish it did but it isn't.  They belong to the wonderful people who invented the cute little things.  Industrial Illusions belong with YGO, but since I like the name, I decided to put it into the story.  That doesn't belong to me either it belongs with YGO.  The only thing I own is 'Orion, Blaze and Max'.  N/E way, hope you enjoy the story, and R/R._

**_CHAPTER TWO_**

**_UNDER THE LIGHT OF THE MOON_**

Max, Orion and his vulpix, which he had named, Blaze the night before stood on the outskirts of town near the steps that led up to the Pokemon Research Lab.  The three of them were waiting for Professor Oak to come down.  While Orion and Blaze would travel by foot towards Viridian City, Max will take the car and wait for their return back in Orion's Manor.  A few seconds later, the sound of a door opening reached their ears as they all looked up to see Professor Oak making his way down from the lab.  "Well now, Orion."  Professor Oak said, as he walked up to him and gave a fond smile, as he looked him over.  "So, you're finally ready to set out into the world.  Do you have all the equipment I gave you?"

"Yes, I do Professor," Orion nodded to him, as he shouldered the borrowed backpack that Professor Oak lent him for the start of his journey until he reached his home.  "Thank you for allowing me to borrow them, as well as my Pokedex."  He added.

"You're very welcome."  Professor Oak said to him as he clasped the younger boy on the shoulder.  "Make sure that you take care of yourself and Blaze while you're out there."

"I will sir," he said to him with a nod.

"Now," Professor Oak said becoming serious.  "You will contact me whenever possible and remember try not to worry about Industrial Illusions while you're out there."

"Of course Professor."

Max stepped up and gave the younger boy a hug.  "Good luck, Master Orion.  I shall be waiting for you in the Manor when you get to Viridian City."

"Thank you, Max.  And you too Professor for all your help.  I hope Industrial Illusions won't give you a lot of problems."  Orion called as he began to walk down the road, waving goodbye to his peers.  Blaze was beside him, trotting along after calling her own goodbyes to them in her own native language.

"Good luck on the road to the Kanto League!"  Professor Oak and Max shouted out.

Orion and Blaze were walking through the grassy path of Route One, leading towards Viridian City.  The backpack on Orion's back wasn't really all that big.  It was filled with only the essentials that he would need: 1 potion, 5 pokeballs, 2 canned food, 2 small bags of pokechow, league guide book, pokedex, map and a sleeping bag.  He had spent the majority of last night, reading the Professor's books for tips of pokemon training and caring.  And the Professor had briefed him on some of the things that he would need to know on the way, like caring for the pokemon, type advantages and disadvantages and the eight badges that he would need to get into the championships.  "Well Blaze this is it," Orion commented as the dirt road began to slowly disappear and his surroundings became heavily forested.  Trees were everywhere, grass covered the ground with some odd placing of rocks, visible roots and weeds.  "Here on out, we're starting on our Pokemon journey."  He looked back at his fox pokemon.  

Yeah, pretty exciting, isn't it?  Blaze answered her trainer, telepathically.  Her voice sounded high and a little childish, which is understandable because she's still very young.

"I guess."  Orion said as he looked at the forest of Route One, his eyes trailing over the trees in search of pokemon.  The trip wasn't bad.  It was almost like walking through a very large park.  Though Professor Oak told him that he had to very careful in case he gets lost.

You nervous? Blaze asked him.  Orion turned his head to regard the small cinnamon brown fox that walked beside him.  

"Is there a reason to be?"  He asked calmly.

No, Blaze said to him as she turned her head to look at the trail they were walking on.  So tell me, why the Professor was making such a big deal about this Industrial Illusions?

"Curious fox, aren't you, Blaze?"  Orion asked, raising an eyebrow at the fox as he quickly averted his eyes from the scenery ahead of them towards his pokemon.

You could say that, we are going to be partners after all.  We didn't get to talk much last night since you were staring at that picture almost all night.  Orion sighed, it was nearing late afternoon because they had left Professor's Laboratory pretty late in the morning.

"Industrial Illusions is such a big deal because I run the company."  Orion explained to his pokemon, his voice was still soft and calm, making it very hard to hear any emotions from it.

Run?  Blaze asked, in a confused tone in her mental voice.  Orion mentally smiled at his pokemon, her voice almost always showed her emotions.  Especially since he couldn't read the pokemon's body language, he'd have to settle for the emotions that they display in their voices.  

"Yes," Orion agreed with her.  "It means I'm in charge of everything that Industrial Illusions is responsible of and it's affiliates."

Affiliates?

"Hmm . . . it means the other companies that we're close too," Orion tried to explain.

Like they're a part of your team?  Blaze looked up to him.

"Yeah, sort of."  Orion shrugged to her.

And that picture?  What was the story on that?

"That was a picture of my parents," Orion said, though his voice stayed the same, he bowed his head a little, making his hair hide his darkened emerald eyes from view.

Oh, are they going to be in that Manor that we're going to be going to in Viridian?  Blaze questioned in an innocent voice.

"No . . ." Orion trailed off, as he lifted his head and stared out on the scenery in front of him.  "My parents are gone - they passed away nearly two years ago."

Oh, Blaze said sounding contrite and sorry that she brought the subject up.  Sorry.

"It's alright, you didn't know about it."  Orion said, shrugging the question off.

Hmm, Blaze said thoughtfully as they walked along.  

"It's getting late, Blaze.  We should set up camp while we still have some light," Orion said as he looked at the darkening sky.  It was 7:00 at night, and they needed to get some rest before starting off again tomorrow.

Yeah, sure.  Why not?  Blaze said to him.  I'm getting tired anyway, and hungry too.  Orion looked at his companion before walking over towards a large tree that provided shade and sat down beneath it.  The trip hadn't been so bad as of yet, he didn't run into any pokemons, but hearing them (most especially beedrills) was enough to make him edgy all throughout the morning.  He was beat - of course, he wasn't going to admit it out in the open.

"Here," Orion said as he leaned over his backpack that he dropped on the ground minutes before.  He took a small white bowl and bag of pokechow.  Opening the bag, he spilled its contents onto the bowl and passed it over to his pokemon.  "If you're hungry, then you should eat."

Blaze purred happily as she trotted over to the bowl of food and began to eat.  As she did, Orion leaned back on the tree that he was sitting in front of and gave a deep breath.  After a few minutes of companionable silence, Blaze asked a question as she sat on her hind legs.  What about you, Orion?  Aren't you going to eat?

"No, I'm not that hungry."  Orion said as he closed his eyes and forced himself to relax.  

Hey Orion, Blaze asked, as she jumped to his lap and looked at him, her two front paws on his chest.  Are you going to miss your friends when we're on our pokemon journey?

Orion looked at his pokemon for a moment, and then averted his eyes to look at the tree in front of him.  "No, I won't."

Really?  Why did you have a fight with them?  She asked in an innocent voice.

"No, because I don't have them."  Orion said, his normally calm voice had a hard edge on it that made the small pokemon who was on his lap cringe.  

Oh, Blaze said in a contrite, quiet voice as she looked away from her trainer.  

A few seconds passed in uncomfortable silence, when she nimbly jumped off Orion's lap.  Her trainer looked at her for a moment and sighed.  "I'm sorry, Blaze.  I didn't mean to be so mean about saying it," Orion said to her in a soft voice as he sat up.  

The small fox pokemon looked at him for a moment before nodding her furry head and jumped on his lap again.  Making herself comfortable, she asked the question that made Orion freeze up.  Why?

"Why, what?"  Orion asked as he looked away.  His voice never wavered nor did his face change expressions.  It seemed like he was talking about something as common as the weather.

Your friends, Blaze prodded him.  Why don't you have any?  Everyone has friends.  I personally like the Growlithe that was in the Professor's grounds . . . he always made me laugh.  And there was this time when . . . 

Orion stayed quiet during Blaze's talk about the friends that she made while she was with Professor Oak.  Although most people his age would have tons of friends, Orion could count on one hand the number of friends he had.  Zero.  He knew that being the richest kid in the world and loosing his parents had matured him beyond his years.  The way he spoke, acted, and reacted were all above where he should be.  He was doing things that people could only dream about; creating things that would benefit both humans and pokemon alike.  The way he was, made him an outcast in lots of places, but he was used to it.  And the sting had lessened, every time someone told him that they didn't want to play or work with him, the hurt that they caused would become a little less, but not by much.  

So, Orion had done the only thing he could at the time.  He ignored them, focused on something else hoping that if he ignored everyone they wouldn't cause him any more pain.  The so-called, 'friends' that he had, hurt him more than those who scorned him.  They would use him for his power, for his name.  All though out his life, he was measured by how good his inventions were, how many stocks he owned, he had gotten used to it.  No matter how much he hated it, he would bare it, its what his parents had done to give him a good future . . . it's what he'll do, Industrial Illusions will stay within the family - happiness means nothing to him when he can't share it with the only people he cared about.  His parents.

Orion started when he felt a nudge on his chest, and immediately looked down to where the nudge was.  His eyes landed on the round, dark green eyes that belonged to Blaze who was looking at him with her head tilted to the left side.  Are you all right?  I've been calling you forever!  Where'd you wander off too?

"Nowhere," Orion said to her.  "I was just thinking that's all."  

'Bout what?

"About how much longer it's going to take for us to reach Viridian City."  Orion said to her.  "Come on, we'd better get some rest."  The sun had gone down, bathing the forest that they were staying in with minimal light to get by.  It was also starting to get colder, instead of the hot sun that they had during their walk.

Yeah . . . Blaze trailed off, disbelievingly.  Sure, why not?  Maybe I can battle tomorrow, we haven't crossed any pokemons at all, today.  She said to him as she jumped off Orion's lap so he could get ready for bed.  He looked at her, and turned around so that he unpacked his sleeping back.  Doubts flowed through him, like a leaky faucet that he couldn't turn off.  His fear of failure, and the disappointment that everyone would have in him.  He wanted to give a bitter laugh.  _Imagine, something Orion Evans finally fails at . . . and fails at horribly.  _

Bed, now?  Blaze asked, interrupting his thoughts again.

Orion whipped his head to face her, unmoving for a second before relaxing his visibly taut muscles.  "Yeah, time for bed."  He rolled over his sleeping bag on the bumpy floor and took off his long jacket, throwing it beside his backpack, his shoes followed afterwards and he climbed in.  Without any word, Blaze climbed in after him taking up some space to his left.  She curled around, underneath the warmth of the blanket and slept as soon as she closed her eyes.  Orion looked at her before settling down beside her and placing his two arms to cushion his head.  His emerald eyes looked up at the dark clouds that were showing a handful of stars, looking like spilt diamonds in black velvet.  _What a day, he thought to himself as he closed his eyes, hoping that his tired body would lull him to sleep soon._

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Orion sighed as he looked up at the sky that was littered with hundreds of stars twinkling above him.  He had been lying in the same position for nearly four hours and he hadn't slept a wink!  It was aggravating, and he couldn't risk turning to his left or right because he might wake Blaze.  That plus, he could feel his back and arm muscles cramping on the uncomfortable ground.  Not to mention there was absolutely _no pillows around . . . _

_I'll never be able to get some sleep,_ he thought to himself as he shifted slightly and tried to make himself as comfortable as he could despite the situation he was in.  His eyes were scanning their surroundings every five minutes making sure that nothing was going to jump out of the bushes and scare him anymore than he already is.  Still, it was very creepy out in the woods.  The gentle wind that occasionally passed by ruffled the leaves, which would have been a soothing sound in broad daylight was enough to make his blood pressure shoot up every time he heard it.  Every shadow seem to move and get nearer every time he looked at it, the moving branches looked like gigantic claws reaching out to choke him, every noise was intensified a hundred times making blood rush in his ears.  

Was he scared?

Absolutely not.

Terror-stricken to the point of a heart attack?

Unquestionably.

_This is ridiculous,_ he thought to himself as he slowly tried to sit up.  His arms were sore and ached every time he moved it.  He was gently unzipping the sleeping bag so that he could get out and get something to eat when he suddenly stopped as he heard a semi-loud rustling noise.  His muscles tensed, and he looked around waiting, for what?  He didn't really know.  _Nerves, that's all it is._  He sighed in relief as he carefully got out of the sleeping bag and closed it again.  He stood up and stretched, while walking towards his pack.  Then he heard the rustling sound again and his eyes immediately scanned the trees, bushes, two glowing red round things, and various rocks in the dark blanket of the night.

Wait a minute . . . 

_Two glowing round things?!_

Orion froze and his eyes slowly moved back to the two pair of red, _eyes_, staring right back at him from the bushes it was hiding in.  He gulped, as the bushes rustled again and a rattata jumped from it.  He looked at it for a moment before relaxing it was only a rattatas.  However, his fear intensified when felt like he was being watched.  He looked around and noticed _twenty more pairs of red, glowing eyes look at him from different bushes scattered around the place he and Blaze were.  They all bared their teeth at him and narrowed their eyes.  __Damn, I'm in trouble._

His breath was coming in short gasps as rattatas of all different sizes jumped out of their hiding places and formed a circle around him and his sleeping pokemon.  Orion fought back a stream of curses that would make a sailor blush.  Had it just been _one rattata, he wouldn't be so afraid, but __twenty?  Great, his first night as a pokemon trainer and he would already get mauled by rabid rattatas.  Staying absolutely still, he looked as the rattatas came out of their hiding places and slowly walked over to him, still with their teethes bared.  His breathing was shallow, and he tried to inconspicuously wake his pokemon up.  Blaze wake up, he sent to her in a mental voice, instead of talking to her out loud as he always did.  The fox pokemon only shifted a little in her sleep, however on the slightest movement the rattata's looked towards the sleeping bag and saw the pokemon.  They slowly circled it.  _Why is this happening to me?  _Orion groaned as he took a hesitant step towards his pokemon, but as soon as he did the rattatas turned towards him and bared their teethes at him._

_"RATTA-TA-RAT!"_  The biggest one of them yelled at him.  Orion was on the verge of panicking that he wasn't able to scan the pokemon's mind for whatever the language meant.  

Blaze!  We're in trouble here!  Orion said to his pokemon.

No . . . she said as she turned over.  Still tired.

Blaze!  Wake up, _now_!  He sent back with some agitation in his mental voice as his eyes never left the rat pokemons that were excruciatingly coming closer to him.  Their eyes glowed and they were almost giving him a feral grin.

What?  Blaze asked in an abashed tone.  She snapped her head up and glared at her trainer for a second before she realized the pack of rattatas that were snarling at them.  Oh, she said as she got up in a defensive stance.  

Yes, '_Oh_' He repeated as he watched his pokemon, he knew that they didn't really stand a chance against a pack of rattatas, one?  No problem . . . but twenty snarling, growling and glaring purple rats?  Definite no.  Just as Orion thought it was going to be a standoff, the lead rattata jumped up and attacked Blaze who was trying to get to him, inconspicuously.

"Damn!"  Orion called out as he rushed forward to help her only to be attacked by rattatas.  "Hang on, Blaze!"  He called out as he tried to flail his arms around, trying to get rid of the rattatas that were biting his arms, legs and chest.  He staggered over to his pokemon who was tackling, biting and occasionally giving a very weak ember to the rattatas to get them off herself.  _This isn't working,_ Orion told to himself as felt a burning sensation in his arms, his eyes darkened when he saw that it was rattata that had sunk its teeth deeply on his flesh.  Blaze wasn't faring well, either.  She was being attacked by 10 pokemons all at one time, while Orion was handling his own batch of resilient mad pokemons that were gnawing his body and tackling him hard whichever ways.  With a grunt, he fell to the ground after two strong, consecutive tackles.  As soon as he hit the ground, Orion's face paled when he saw their front teeth glowed, hyper fang . . .

His eyes darkened as he rolled over and dodged some of the hyper fangs while some of them managed to strike their aim, his body.  He jumped up, ignoring the rattata's that were clinging to his arms and legs as he rushed to help his pokemon.  Clothing torn and bleeding all over, he scooped his Vulpix, which wasn't faring any better than he was.  Kicking and batting away some of the rattata's that were on him and Blaze, he scooped her up, and ran.  He moved faster and faster, fluidly through the shadows, skimming the grass with the slightest touch of his boots, flying in his own special way.  He didn't dare to look back, for fear of seeing the rattatas gaining on him.  

All he knew was that he needed to get to safety . . . he looked at his near comatose pokemon and ran faster, if that was possible.  "Hang on, Blaze.  I'll get you to safety, just hang on."  In the dark blanket of the night, under the moon's watch with the stars winking at him, he ran.


End file.
